Rodeo Club recognizes Donelson's lifetime work

A Central Wyoming College dean was honored March 1 with a Lifetime Award from the CWC Rodeo Booster Club at its annual banquet.


Charlotte Donelson, who is the dean of the CWC Commerce, Technology and Safety Division, was honored for her long association with the annual Rustler Roundup Rodeo and the rodeo program in general.


"The compassion and love for the program, and the students who participated, was evident in how she took a personal interest in the athletes' success both in the arena as well as academically," said booster club member Jim Hursh who surprised Donelson with the award.


He gave those in attendance at the banquet a timeline of Donelson's long association with the rodeo which began in 1975. He also credited Donelson with the program's continuance when the college was forced to eliminate intercollegiate volleyball and basketball programs at CWC during a early 1990s budget crisis.


In 2001, Donelson was officially selected to oversee the rodeo program which she did until last year when the program was officially moved under Athletic Director Steve Barlow.


Managing the rodeo program for the last 12 years has meant more to our recipient than just one of the duties of her job, Hursh said. She knew the team members by name, helped to advise them, attended many of the out of-town rodeos, and worked at the CWC-sponsored rodeo.